Typically, solar arrays are placed in an elevated location such as a roof top of a home or a building or in a rack and frame that elevates the solar array so that the solar array is exposed to sunlight. The roofs on homes and/or buildings generally are formed by adding a plurality of pieces of panels together so that a generally contiguous surface is formed, which are supported by one or more support beams. Solar modules may be secured to the plurality of pieces of panels directly and/or indirectly via a connection structure such as a rack and frame. Each solar module of the solar array may include only an active portion and the active portions of two or more solar modules may be placed in close proximity with one another so that a solar array is formed over and/or on the connection structure. However, in cases where the solar modules provide roofing functions, the solar modules may include both an active portion and a support portion and the active portion of one solar module may fully and/or partially cover the support portion of an adjacent solar module to replace the framing and racking structure. In cases of building integrated photovoltaics, the support portion may provide roofing functions or structural functions for subsequent photovoltaic modules. The support portion of the solar module may warp and/or curl after manufacture so that when the solar module is placed on a support structure the support portion does not form a flat connection with the support structure. Typically, as the size of the solar module is increased the size of the support portion increases, which results in an increase in the amount of warp that is experienced by each solar module, therefore, current solar modules may be limited in size to reduce the warp and/or curl of the solar module. Further, when the active portion is placed over the support portion, the support portion may not lay flat due to the warp of the support portion so that when mass is placed on the active portion, the active portion may be deformed and/or damaged due to the warp of the support portion placing an uneven amount of pressure on the active portion.
Additionally, the support structures of a roof may not have consistent flatness or strength due to variations in fabrication and/or age of the roof. At some point over the life of the solar array, the home owner, a repair person, an installer, or a combination thereof may be required to walk across the solar array. As the individual walks across the solar array, each individual solar module may bend and flex due to the variations in strength and/or flatness of the support structures, which may result in the solar module bending enough so that the solar module is damaged. The warp and/or curl of the support portion may exacerbate the bending of the solar module and/or form a pressure point. It would be attractive to have a solar module which is resistant to warping and/or curl, is sufficiently compliant to the irregularities of the roof support structure, and lies flat so that the active portion is supported by the support portion.
Examples of some known solar modules may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. D572,843; 5,437,735; 6,106,752; 7,870,691; 7,985,919; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0266405; 2006/0266406; 2012/0210660; Canadian Patent No. CA2056867; European Patent No. EP929389; and International Patent Application No. WO1998/012047; WO02012/082604; and WO2012/135769 all of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
It would be attractive to have a device that has a support portion that is substantially planar and free of any warped portions, curled portions, or both. If would be attractive to have a device that provides a uniform support surface to one or more active portions of one or more adjacent solar modules so that the active portions are substantially supported when a mass is applied to the solar module, or when the support structure deflects the support portion provides stability and flatness to the active portion. What is needed is a support portion of the solar module that provides the necessary structural properties to provide a uniform support structure for subsequent solar module's active portions and is easily manufactured with a polymeric construction having a thin, light, low cost, and dimensionally stable construction so that the solar module remains planar and is free of warp. What is needed is a support portion that remains free of warp and/or curl when the length, width, or both of the solar module is increased.